Nebraska Wesleyan University communication studies professor David Whitt has been selected to present the inaugural Faculty Scholarship Lecture. His lecture, “Heroes, Gods, Cyborgs, and Man vs. Food: The Power of Myth in Popular Culture” will be held Wednesday, February 26.
The lecture begins 3 p.m. in Olin B Lecture Hall. It will also be webcast live on the NWU website.
Over the past six years, Whitt has co-edited and contributed to two books on comparative mythology, with a third to complete the trilogy that will be released this spring. The anthologies examine how contemporary film, television, books and other texts draw upon mythology for their narratives and cultural meaning. His presentation will focus primarily on chapters from the books, analyzing myth in relation to the animated series Teen Titans and the reality TV show Man vs. Food.
He will also discuss how to relate mythology to contemporary culture through popular films, television, and books such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, Pan’s Labyrinth, Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones.
Whitt is an associate professor of communication at NWU, where he has taught since 1991.
The Faculty Scholarship Presentation was created by the Forum Committee in an effort to recognize and celebrate scholarship in the campus community.
The lecture is free and open to the public.